--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason for being a professional…" description: "\"The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.\" — Leo Rosten" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg" --- # The only reason for being a professional writer is that… ![“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.” quote by Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg) > “The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.” [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing is compelled by an inner drive, not choice. **In simple terms:** Writers can’t help writing. Key Takeaway Write authentically. Themes creativity compulsion craft identity expression Mood reflective inspirational Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - authoring books - blogging - screenwriting - journalism - teaching writing Key Concepts Artistic drive self‑expression creative addiction Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your creative urge? - How do you balance writing and rest? A Different Perspective Compulsion may cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you just can't help it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-just-can/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Being a professional writer is not an easy way to make a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-kidder/being-a-professional-writer-is-not-an-easy-way-to-make-a-living/) [Tracy Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-kidder/) > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [My personal opinion is that, if you're a professional writer, that you do have quotas. So every day I do try to write 800-1,200…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bohjalian/my-personal-opinion-is-that-if-you-re-a-professional-writer-that-you/) [Chris Bohjalian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bohjalian/) > [“A professional writer is an amateur who never gave up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/a-professional-writer-is-an-amateur-who-never-gave-up/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [You cannot teach creativity - how to become a good writer. But you can help a young writer discover within himself what kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/you-cannot-teach-creativity-how-to-become-a-good-writer-but-you-can-2/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [So I had a ghostwriter, they call them, or somebody who is an experienced writer, to help. I've got the ideas in my head,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-boxleitner/so-i-had-a-ghostwriter-they-call-them-or-somebody-who-is-an/) [Bruce Boxleitner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-boxleitner/) > [The writer is a writer because he cannot help it. It is a compulsion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/the-writer-is-a-writer-because-he-cannot-help-it-it-is-a-compulsion/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [If you are destined to become a writer, you can't help it. If you can help it, you aren't destined to become a writer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-harington/if-you-are-destined-to-become-a-writer-you-can-t-help-it-if-you-can/) [Donald Harington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-harington/) > [I think the purpose of the writer is to help us see. The writer is someone who can perhaps have the joy of helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/i-think-the-purpose-of-the-writer-is-to-help-us-see-the-writer-is/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“This is not a book of writing advice. It’s not here to help make you a better writer. Rather, it’s here to help you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-wendig/this-is-not-a-book-of-writing-advice-it-s-not-here-to-help-make-you-a/) [Chuck Wendig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-wendig/) > [Nothing can injure a man's writing if he's a first-rate writer. If a man is not a first-rate writer, there's not anything can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/nothing-can-injure-a-man-s-writing-if-he-s-a-first-rate-writer-if-a/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“I had been a writer all of my life, every waking second, and now that part of my life was over. I suppose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-greer/i-had-been-a-writer-all-of-my-life-every-waking-second-and-now-that/) [Bonnie Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-greer/) > [It is perfectly possible to be a professional director or a professional writer and not to be an artist: merely a sort of executor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-perfectly-possible-to-be-a-professional-director-or-a/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [In the usual way I submitted manuscripts to publishers. This was not so much a feeling that I should be published as a wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/in-the-usual-way-i-submitted-manuscripts-to-publishers-this-was-not/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) ## More by Leo Rosten > [Truth is stranger than fiction; fiction has to make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/truth-is-stranger-than-fiction-fiction-has-to-make-sense/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [There was no answer, no solution, no sop, no deliverance. What, then, did I do? I read faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/there-was-no-answer-no-solution-no-sop-no-deliverance-what-then-did-i/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [People say: idle curiosity. The one thing that curiosity cannot be is idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/people-say-idle-curiosity-the-one-thing-that-curiosity-cannot-be-is/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Everyone, in some small sacred sanctuary of the self, is nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/everyone-in-some-small-sacred-sanctuary-of-the-self-is-nuts/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [ What's green, hangs on a wall and whistles? \[A Herring\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/what-s-green-hangs-on-a-wall-and-whistles-a-herring/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Dogs are getting bigger, according to a leading dog manufacturer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/dogs-are-getting-bigger-according-to-a-leading-dog-manufacturer/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Acting is a form of deception, and actors can mesmerize themselves almost as easily as an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/acting-is-a-form-of-deception-and-actors-can-mesmerize-themselves/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Her cooking suggested she had attended the Cordon Noir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/her-cooking-suggested-she-had-attended-the-cordon-noir/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“The purpose of life is not to be happy—but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-but-to-matter-to-be-productive/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [For some not to be martyrs is martyrdom indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/for-some-not-to-be-martyrs-is-martyrdom-indeed/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [“Anybody who hates dogs and babies can't be all bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/anybody-who-hates-dogs-and-babies-can-t-be-all-bad/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/o-to-be-sure-we-laugh-less-and-play-less-and-wear-uncomfortable/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [Where was it ever promised us that life on this earth can ever be easy, free from conflict and uncertainty, devoid of anguish and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/where-was-it-ever-promised-us-that-life-on-this-earth-can-ever-be/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [First-rate people hire first-rate people; second-rate people hire third-rate people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people-second-rate-people-hire/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-the-purpose-of-life-is-to/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) [Explore all 69 Leo Rosten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) ## More Professional quotes > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/being-fit-is-the-easiest-part-of-being-a-dance-professional-i-used-to/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [In the end, for me, football is still a game. Even if you are a professional, you need to have fun when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-de-bruyne/in-the-end-for-me-football-is-still-a-game-even-if-you-are-a/) [Kevin De Bruyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-de-bruyne/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [I like to dance, but there's nothing professional about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/i-like-to-dance-but-there-s-nothing-professional-about-it/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [The professional arms himself with patience, not only to give the stars time to align in his career, but to keep himself from flaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-professional-arms-himself-with-patience-not-only-to-give-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [It's important for closet gay athletes everywhere, not just at the professional level, but more importantly athletes at the younger level in high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-fujita/it-s-important-for-closet-gay-athletes-everywhere-not-just-at-the/) [Scott Fujita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-fujita/) > [Since I've had a career, my hair has been more or less professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/since-i-ve-had-a-career-my-hair-has-been-more-or-less-professional/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) Alan Sheinwald > [I'm not the most talented writer in the world. I know that. But I also know that I'm disciplined, that I work my butt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-coe/i-m-not-the-most-talented-writer-in-the-world-i-know-that-but-i-also/) [David B. Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-coe/) > [In my early life, I was a professional folk singer. I used to sing on the national television and radio in Canada. Nobody knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/in-my-early-life-i-was-a-professional-folk-singer-i-used-to-sing-on/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [We are not yet at the point where our size, our being the drama industry, is sufficient to support full time professional crews, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-macbeth/we-are-not-yet-at-the-point-where-our-size-our-being-the-drama/) [Ann Macbeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-macbeth/) Browse all 993 Professional quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Rosten" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Professional" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49b/leo-rosten-9943_professional_the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional_2732797.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it.” — Leo Rosten", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Rosten", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only reason for being a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-only-reason-for-being-a-professional-writer-is-that-you-can-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```